Fall Into Me
by Measured
Summary: The world was ending and Soren’s only true concern was his commander. In that sense, Soren had simply grown and matured, not changed. Ike/Soren


Title: Fall Into Me  
Day/Theme: 3/26. collapse into me tired with joy  
Character/Pairing: Ike/Soren  
Summary: The world was ending and Soren's only true concern was his commander. In that sense, Soren had simply grown and matured, not changed. Ike/Soren  
Rating: PG at most  
A/N: For...hmm, late birthday present for Heba! Mild references to spoilers, but most people know these already.

**.**

The march had been relentless. With so many of their fellow people turned to stone, the war took an untold urgency that even Ashnard's occupation of the Crimean castle hadn't reached. Two candles were lit in the interior of the tent where Ike waited. One was burned almost completely out, the other was a new addition. The first was almost charity to keep as the light it gave off was so dull as to be useless for reading. However, Soren could never quite bring himself to throw out anything until it was finished. His quills were sharpened until they broke apart, his clothes mended and remended until they fell to tatters. It was a testament to when he had nothing, and had to make do with nothing but a memory of the kindness of a boy with blue hair to keep him company in the cold winter nights.

Soren had not been late, though he could not tell how long Ike had been waiting for him. Ike did little more than give an affirmative incline of his head at Soren's entrance. He was practically dead on his feet. Ike always stood tall, but now his broad shoulders slumped in exhaustion.

"Ike, I've gotten the report you asked for."

Ike let out a breath. "Good."

"Perhaps you should sit while I read this out. It's short," Soren said softly.

Ike did so, as he was prone to following whatever path his tactician lead him upon. However, he didn't go alone. His sizable arms enclosed about Soren and dragged him down with him to the pack of spare clothes that served as a makeshift seat for the time being. Soren for once hadn't seen that coming. He sat awkwardly perched in Ike's grasp, and began to read off the figures. At Ike's state it was likely a meaningless action, but routines were to be kept at all costs.

"We're running low on water stores, they should last a few more days, but we need to restock as soon as possible. Food stores aren't much better."

Ike didn't reply. Soren continued on.

"The weapon stores are reasonably sound, luckily the merchants that travel with us weren't affected by the Goddess Ashera's judgment. Still, I'd advise stocking up a bit more, just in case. We're especially low on axes as Boyd broke two of them last battle–"

"I'll do it tomorrow. Heal staves too," Ike said. "Mist wanted some of those."

Soren looked up from his papers to Ike's face. His eyes were closed, his head lolled down. Soren brushed Ike's cheek, and Ike leaned into it.

"Ike, you're too tired for this."

"Everyone's tired," Ike mumbled.

Everyone didn't matter. They weren't Ike. Only in the most minuscule points of winning the war, other than that, they had all the importance of metallic pawns to be used and tossed aside as will.

Soren sorted his papers. It was barely started, but he kept that to himself. He could splice it into the morning reports. Ike wouldn't notice.

"...And that's all for now. You should rest. You'll be sore tomorrow if you sleep here," Soren said.

"Mmn," was all Ike said

Breath. Ike had yet to fall asleep, even as his eyes were closed. His grip was loose enough that Soren could have pulled free to return to work if he had wished to. He didn't. Soren laid his head down over Ike's chest. Ike's heartbeat and breath were strong, it was an untold comfort and sense of contentment for Soren. Happiness was another moment with Ike. Happiness was beating back another army in defense of his commander. Everything else was secondary.

Black hair spilled over, but for once Ike didn't comb his fingers through the strands. Soren thought he would probably be too tired to simply lift his arms. The world was ending and Soren's only true concern was his commander. In that sense, Soren had simply grown and matured, not changed.

Soren was exhausted as well. He fell deeper into Ike, uncaring for the moment that his back would be sore tomorrow morning from sleeping in this odd position. The same flood of happiness and contentment filled him. Breath. Beat. Thadump. Life might end tomorrow, but he cherished this second, this breath.

Odds were against him, for they weren't just to fight mortal blood. This wasn't a corpulent senator or even a Laguz noble, this was a crazed Goddess bent on the destruction of her once beloved creations. Wouldn't it take every bit of marrow and bone and breath of Soren to save Ike, to save them all? The Goddess would have to pry Ike out from under Soren's dead body to steal him away.

Soren nuzzled closer, and loved the flesh and sum of Ike. He fell into the languid sleep that cradled both of them. Tomorrow would be the deciding point, but for tonight, Ike was safe beside him. Tomorrow might steal away everything, but for now he had the remains of today. And that was enough for Soren.


End file.
